Bow for stringed instruments



y 1935- R. H. TURNER BOW FOR STRINGED INSTRUMENTS Filed Feb! 9, 1934 Patented May 28, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to bows for violins and other stringed instruments of like character. It consists in a frog of new and improved character possessing many advantages from the mechanical 5 standpoint as well as from the standpoint of the artist using the bow.

The frog of my invention is provided in the stick-engaging portion of its throat with a transversely-extending thumb flange which is formed as an integral part of the frog and located opposite to the hair-clamping portion thereof but in somewhat offset relation. This flange supplies an adequate and comfortable surface for contact with the thumb of the artist throughout the stroke of the bow. In many bows heretofore constructed, the natural position of the hand brings the end of the thumb against the stick in advance of the frog or against the end edge of the frog, or partially against the frog and partially against the stick. The result is that the tip of the artists thumb must contact with an irregular surface changing in relation to his thumb throughout the stroke of the bow and, therefore, tending to disturb the delicate manipulation thereof. Further, continued contact with such surface tends to roughen and callous the thumb of the artist in a manner which becomes very objectionable in lon hours of practice. All these objections are obviated in accordance with the construction of my invention and the novel frog herein shown resents a smooth, comfortable and extended surface available in all positions of the bow without appreciable change of relation to the hand of the artist.

In introducing the thumb flange above dis cussed into the frog, it is necessary to add some material and weight to the stick-engaging portion of the frog, and in order not to disturb the very delicate balance of this portion of the bow I provide adjacent to the outer end of the frog metallic inserts which counterbalance the additional material of the thumb flange. As herein shown, these counterbalancing inserts are of on namental design which add appreciably to the appearance of the bow. I have found, further, that the employment of such counterbalancing inserts renders it possible to improve the shape of the frog to a further degree, that is to say, I am thereby enabled to round the outer corner of the frog opposite to its hair-clamping portion and to smooth it to an extent which eliminates the possibility of gouging the instrument or stick into the hands of the user when the bow is held for pizzicato passages.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a violin bow in inverted position having the novel frog of my invention embodied therein;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the frog end of the bow in playing position;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the frog as seen from below;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a View of the frog in side elevation.

For purposes of illustration, I have shown my invention as embodied in a violin bow but it will be understood that it may be embodied with equal advantage in bows for other stringed instruments, such as the viola, Violoncello, base Viol, viola damore, viola da gamba, etc.

The bow herein shown comprises the usual stick I terminating at one end in the head I2 and the other being adjustably connected to the frog. The portion of the stick adjacent to the frog is provided with a metallic winding [4 which may comprise a silver sleeve. Connection between the stick and the frog is made by means of an adjusting bolt IS. The detail of its connection with the frog is not herein shown since it forms no part of the present invention and may be of well-known commercial design. It will be noted, however, that the outer end of the adjusting bolt, which is engaged by the user in adjusting the position of the frog on the stick, is rounded and given the shape of an acorn. This not only adds to the decorative effect of the bow but supplies a smooth guard member which eliminates danger of scratching or gouging by this part of the bow. The acorn has threaded connection with its bolt.

The frog 22 has a smoothly curved throat 24 extended at its lower side to form a hair-clamping portion 26 and merging at its other side into the stick-engaging portion 28. Adjacent to the throat 25 the stick-engaging portion of the frog is extended transversely to provide the thumb flange 39. This, as shown in Fig. 3, is located opposite to the hair-clamping portion of the frog, being somewhat shorter than the latter and offset laterally or transversely with respect thereto. The frog is somewhat reduced in thickness in an intermediate zone and flares outwardly somewhat toward its opposite sides. The surface thereof is smoothly curved and merges without angles into the flange 30. The flange itself affords a smooth and extended contact surface for the thumb of the artist, as shown particularly in Fig. 4, supplying an extended contact area oiTset with reference to the hairs of the bow as well as the hair-clamping portion of the throat.

The location of the flange within the end of the frog and outside the end of the hairs of the bow is important because it tends to keep the thumb of the user clear of the rosin used on the hairs. It will be noted, moreover, that there is nothing to interfere with the necessary slight rocking of the end of the thumb upon the flange 38 throughout the full stroke of the bow, with the result that there is no alteration in the feel of the bow while it is being used. Moreover, the thumbengaging surfaces of the frog is slightly concave in contour, as shown in Fig. 2, thus providing a V slight depression in which theend of the thumb naturally finds its correct place.

The outer and upper corner of the frog 22, as shown in Fig.1, is smoothly curved or rounded, eliminating all angles at this part of the frog. In order to compensate for the material removed at this part and to counterbalance the additional material required in the construction of the flange 3!],- the frog is provided with cavities which are filled by metallic inserts 32 in or adjacent to its outer end. As shown in Fig. 1, these may be heart-shaped or shaped as a crescent or star and inserted as an inlay with their surfaces flush with the curved surfaces of the frog. The inserts 32 may be of silver or other metal of appreciable 'weight capable also of taking a polished or lac- V quered finish.

In addition to the advantages already discussed, it will be noted that in using a bow constructed in accordance with my invention the thumb is kept entirely out of contact with the hairs of the bow at all times. From this fact result the additional advantages that the hairs are kept clean and that they are relieved of the possibility of being pressed out of shape or curved by pressure of the thumb in a manner which would be detrimental to the shape of the bow and also to the execution and tone of the instrument.

Having thus described, my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pa"- ent is:

1. In a bow for stringed instruments, a frog having a throat with a hair-clamping portion at one side thereof and a stick-engaging portion at the other, the stick-engaging portion being extended transversely to supply a thumb flange opposite to the hair-clamping portion but offset with respect thereto.

2. In a bow for stringed instruments, a frog having a throat with a hair-clamping portion at one side thereof and a stick-engaging. portion at the other, the stick-engaging portion being extended transversely in the form of a flat thumb flange, rounded in contour and lying nearer to the throat than the outer end of the hair-clamping portion and offset with respect thereto.

3. In a bow for stringed instruments, a frog having a throat with a hair-clamping portion at one side thereof and a stick-engaging portion at the other, the body of the frog having an integral lateral extension in the form of a smoothly curved thumb flange located adjacent to the stick-engaging portion of the frog and entirely outside the exposed hairs of the bow, thereby supplying the user with a thumb contact surface free of rosin from the hairs.

4. In a bow for stringed instruments, a frog having hair-engaging and stick-engaging portions separated by a throat, a laterally-extending thumb flange formed as an integral part of the frog and located adjacent to the stick-engaging portion thereof, and counterbalancing inserts located in the outer portion of the frog.

5. In a bow for stringed instruments, a frog having hair-engaging and stick-engaging portions separated by a throat, said stick-engaging portion merging at its inner end into a lateral thumb flange, and a counterweight inserted in theouter portion of the frog to balance the material of said flange.

6. In a bow for stringed instruments, a frog having hair-engaging and stick-engaging portions separated by a reentrant throat, a laterallyextending thumb flange formed as an integral part of the frog and located nearer the end of the bow than the exposed hairs thereof, the outer end of the frog being rounded on one side and being provided with metallic inserts balancing.

inwardly-directed throat defining stick-engag-.

ing and hair-clamping portions in the frog, a lateral flange projecting from one side of the stick-engaging portion of the frog in position to be balanced by said metallic inserts and to supply thumb contact surface, and an adjusting bolt for the frog having a rounded head which forms one extremity of the bow.

RICHARD H. TURNER. 

